Students never in danger after reports of man with gun in Pascagoula, school leader says
Officials at Leap of Faith Private School told the Sun Herald Monday they saw a man with a gun heading to apartments near the school.
Barbara Russell, school director and teacher, said the incident that closed a portion of Pascagoula Monday was not at the school and did not put students in danger.
“It had nothing to do with the school,” Russell said. “It was at the apartments over the gymnasium.”
Russell answered a knock at the door, expecting to see parents who said they were dropping off lunches for their children.
But she found a man she did not recognize who did not appear to speak English.
“He spoke Spanish and I was trying to speak to him. He just kept pointing up,” Russell said. “That’s when I saw the second guy get out of the truck and he had a gun.”
Russell called the Pascagoula Police Department and gathered all of the students in one room until police could evacuate them.
“We’re all fine. The police responded very quickly,” she said.
The Pascagoula Police Department issued a warning Monday afternoon asking people to stay out of the area surrounding the school, in and around Ingalls Avenue, Scovel Road, Martin Street and 26th Street. The scene was eventually cleared for traffic and residents to continue normal activity.
Three people have been taken into police custody, the Sun Herald has confirmed.
This story was originally published March 21, 2022 at 3:23 PM.
